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Crush left homeless by dispute

Bryce Alderton

Officials with the Costa Mesa-based Orange County Crush basketball

team, on advice from their attorneys, have postponed all scheduled

home games at UC Irvine’s Bren Events Center while ironing out

details of an alleged ticket-pricing discrepancy that also involves

Ticketmaster.

The Crush postponed games Wednesday and Thursday, against Long

Beach and Tijuana, respectively, and no definitive dates for future

home games have been set, Kevin Copeland, the team’s general manager,

said Thursday.

Attorneys from the first-year American Basketball Association

franchise, Ticketmaster and the Bren Center are attempting to resolve

the alleged ticket dilemma that team officials said affected fans

trying to purchase tickets online for the squad’s first home game on

Dec. 9 against Las Vegas.

“We are not happy about what transpired,” Ruben Sanchez, the

Crush’s attorney, said.

Sanchez issued a written statement Thursday, stating the team’s

position.

An excerpt from the statement read, “the Crush remains steadfast

in its position that matters were not handled properly, ultimately

resulting in the loss of Dennis Rodman and ESPN coverage, but the

parties remain hopeful that a resolution can be reached without

having to file a lawsuit.”

Sanchez said he and attorneys from the Bren Center and

Ticketmaster have discussed the matter once and at least one meeting

is planned between the parties. No date is currently set.

“The holidays put a crimp in things because everyone’s off in

different directions,” Sanchez said.

Attempts to reach attorneys from the Bren Center and Ticketmaster

were unsuccessful.

Jim Cohen, UCI’s media relations director, issued a short

statement on the matter last week.

“We are still looking into the facts and circumstances of this

matter,” Cohen said.

“Because there appears to be a dispute, we cannot comment at this

time.”

Copeland received an e-mail from a fan the morning of Dec. 9 that

contained a copy of Ticketmaster’s website, which noted a mysterious

$50 convenience charge for fans wishing to purchase $10

reserved-level tickets.

The Crush, who are 7-1 and sit in second place in the Red (West)

Division behind Utah (11-0), have not played a home game since

defeating Las Vegas, 124-123.

“Until this thing is resolved, we are looking for a temporary home

to finish the season,” Copeland said.

Copeland has spoken with officials at Golden West and Cypress

colleges about the prospect of hosting potential Crush home games.

The team, though, remains committed to securing a location to

stage games at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, Copeland

said.

“[The fairgrounds] is where we want to be,” Copeland said. “We are

going to do whatever we can to get us back there as quickly as

possible.”

A portable tent or “bubble arena” on the fairgrounds’ speedway

track was the original site, but Copeland hinted that other locations

on the property are being considered.

He declined to go into further detail.

Copeland did not rule out a possible return to the Bren Center.

“It’s not a broken relationship,” Copeland said. “This is a legal

move.”

The Crush are scheduled to face host Tijuana Thursday.

“We have to move forward on creating a championship team from

Orange County.”

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